Thursday, March 05, 2009

It was a balmy evening in Northrend, something you don't get every day. So I thought, since I'd recently purchased the cold-weather equipment for it, I'd take my trusty gryphon out and let him stretch his wings. He was overjoyed to get into the air again, having spent much too much time cooped up inside while I scraped up the funds to let him fly in this new climate.

We trekked across Icecrown, and off into Sholazar Basin. I had heard that Sholazar was "the" place for mining, so why not kill two rocs with one stone, so to speak? We began circling the edge of the basin, with a few forays into the middle of the jungle, and sure enough, my ore pouches were filling up at an amazing pace. I was traveling south along the eastern edge of the crater, and saw yet another vein below. I signaled my gryphon to land, but as he was spiraling down, I noticed a strange beast prowling among the primates not far away.

There is only one person I know who would have the expertise to identify this thing, and deal with it if necessary, so I sent a message to my friend Asara through a mutual friend who was nearby, urging her to make all speed out to my location. She would know what to do.

Asara's Tale:

I was in Westfall when Saraabi's message arrived. I had been helping a young shaman friend who was just beginning his adventuring career, and doing his part to help eradicate those damned Defias. I swear, no matter how many of those bastards we kill, their numbers never seem to decrease for long.

At any rate, I teleported myself back to Dalaran, and flew as fast as my nether drake could take me out to Sholazar. I stopped at the first bunch of white primates I saw, but there was nothing out of the ordinary there. Could Saraabi have imagined this beast?

I wasn't sure, so I flew a bit farther south, when I saw another herd of white primates. And sure enough, there was a long white shape stalking among them. It seemed almost incorporeal, a spirit among mortals. I landed cautiously, and crept toward it. It continued to wander, oblivious to my presence. I watched it for a few moments, and when it turned toward me, my hunch was confirmed. This was the legendary Loque'nahak, Spirit Beast, and mate to the goddess Har'koa.

I had searched for this beast before, whenever my travels took me near to the Basin, where it was said to haunt. Yet I had never sighted it before this. I knew then that I needed to make this great beast my companion in the hunt, though it was obvious that it would require much effort on my part, to bend its will to mine.

I approached as close as I dared, and began my taming ritual. The beast put up quite a fight, but in the end, I wore it down, and it submitted at last.